Middle-Aged-Man
Cycling, Fitness and Other Things
Bicycle John’s Benefit Ride
0420 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
Bicycle John’s in Santa Clarita put on their seventh annual Holiday Benefit Ride. We could not have asked for a more beautiful day. In the 50′s in December and we started at 9:00am. It was a 44 miler ride. My friend Chris had called days before to get a feel for the ride, such as the amount of hill climbing and so forth. The guy told him, there was one hill that was 6-8% for a mile and one quarter of mile at 8-10%; this guy was a lair. There was nothing but hills. This makes sense now. We started in Santa Clarita and rode up to Acton (uphill) where we rode on Soledad Canyon, Escondido Canyon, Davenport Rd, over to Sierra Hwy and the bike path following back finally on Soledad Canyon Rd. The first 26 miles or so was only uphill. Yes up hill and in a strong head wind. Those are the two things that I dislike about riding.
I started slow. I kept up with Chris for the first couple of miles. When the bike path had to go through a gate, I had to wait for two tandem bike, and then out on to Soledad, where I got caught by three red lights. I never saw Chris again. I tried to keep up with anyone, but ended up riding alone most of the time. I got the SAG (Support And Gear) at mile 22, Chris was gone and after the short rest, there was still some five to eight miles hill climbs. We were looking down on the 14 Fwy, at this point I could have coasted home. The last 18 miles were mostly down hill, where I reached my max speeds of 46.18MPH. Some of the route points were not that clear. Near the end, there are two bike paths near Soledad, one that goes under the rode and the other moves right and then back on Soledad bike path. Some folks went the wrong way. I made that mistake, for one moment. I saw the error and corrected my path, riding thru the dirt when I realize the mistake.
Chris rode strong and he said he finished 40 minutes ahead of me. Man he is getting stronger. He had changed and eat before I got back. I came in and had a burrito and drink, and chatted with friends, like Dr. Cliff Silverman, his adorable wife Lora, their son Adam. I even chatted with Kevin Walsh, who always rides strong; yesterday he did a hard 100 miler. Back in the truck and headed home.
Overall all, a very good ride. It is a great ride to train on hills. I would like to get a chance to have someone (Teri) drop me off and ride up and over back home for training. I need more training that was evident by my slowness today.
Cycling, thought I would put it down for Winter
0421 days
After the Solvang Prelude last November, I thought I would retire from cycling until Spring. Wrong, I rode again. This time 32 miles or so. It was get on the bike, because Sunday, Chris Brady and myself will drive down to Santa Claria to ride in a Holiday Benefit Ride, sponsed by Bicycle Johns in San Clarita.
I use Cyclemeter to track my rides these days. I have other GPS devices, but I find I do not have to carry them, since I do have cyclemeter on my phone. Finished in a time 2:32:19, 31.08 miles at an average of 12.25 PMH, The wind was up and Chris and I talked, this was not a training ride, more a social ride. See http://j.mp/gUm9x8,.
“Poetics of Pictures” on Photography – Chris Orwig
0450 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
TEDx talk on photography and the “Poetics of Pictures”. The talk is 5min of creative photographic inspiration. Chris Orwig, is an instructor that I really like and this talk was inspirational.
60,000 Steps in One Day Challenge
0511 days
I plan to walk 60,000 steps in one day. Currently my personal record is 58K steps, when my wife Teri and friends, Shawn and Tracy Whittaker climbed Half Dome, just a few years ago. Tracy’s steps were higher that day, so it may be two records, highest personal and betting Tracy (grin).
The goal of 60,000 steps will be walked at the ACS Relay for Life Walk, starting Saturday September 18th at 9 am thru Sunday 19th at 8 am Highland High School.
Tracy mentioned she will try to walk some of it. I mentioned to a friend Danny Rossmango and he suggested walking the entire 24 hours. I said OK? Then he told me he had a business committment and we settled on walking about 10 hours, whew.
I plan to walk during the evening until morning. I would like to support Romina Avery who has bone cancer (third time with cancer, twice before breast cancer). I will join anyone’s team, just let me know.
This day has the Grace Fest AV and Celebrate America on the Blvd (downtown Lancaster), so it will be a busy weekend for sure.
The Bike Song Video
0519 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
Mark Ronson • The Bike Song (feat. Spank Rock & Kyle Falconer)
12,000,000 Steps
0530 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Walking
Was it just yesterday that I passed the 11 millionth steps. Well, today, I passed the 12 millionth step. I have been tracking my steps on www.walkertracker.com for 945 days. I average 12,700 steps a day, that is over six miles of walking each and every day. Some days are low like five to six thousand steps, then some days are larger with 28-30 thousand steps.
Twelve million steps, is about 5,872.4 miles. That is a distance of walking from Los Angeles to London, England, and then some, if you could walk there.
Cycling to Work
0531 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
I gave my oldest daughter the use of my car after her car blew up. So, I ride to work many days of the week. I like to leave after the sun is up, so the cars will see me. Which means, I do an hour or so of work at home prior to getting on the bike. The ride is about 11-1/2 miles one way.
Today, it was a strange day, the wind was blowing to the west, that never happens. I rode with the wind, instead of against. One of my goals is to break 16MPH average, I have done 15.8 or so. It was hot around 103 and without the wind against me, it seem really hot. I did not have water, ok a few sips from the other day still in a bottle. But when I realized the change of wind and I was averaging 17.5 MPH, I knew I had a chance to beat 16MPH. I ride on the streets, which means at I stop at some stop lights. Some I roll through and for sure most of the stop signs, and all the four way stops. But is a process of starts and stops.
I manage to get through some green lights and only be stopped at about three lights, so I managed to keep my average up. When I got to the last light by the house, my lovely wife passed me in the car and I petal the last few blocks and up to the driveway.
Overall, 17.25 MPH average with one mile at almost 20 MPH. This is not open road. I ride mostly on Lancaster Blvd to 40th East and back a bit on Avenue M.
51 Things About Me
2582 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
Since, I just turned 51, and was inspired by Smittie Smith’s 50 list, I did one myself, but mine is 51 items, because of my birthday.
1 I love to watch TV with no sound
2 I hate to log in to the bank website to check my balances
3 I love to learn things watching videos
4 I do not read for pleasure, I expect to learn something, if I have to read
5 I like to walk, and walk and walk.
6 I have to use reading glasses, thou I had Lasik’s to correct far-slightness
7 I love good (any) wine
8 I like music that no one knows, but get excited when someone knows
9 I have live only in California and Florida
10 I am a beer snob, but trying to reform and learn to drink American lagers
11 I want to move out of California
12 I believe that all know, earn, deserve, does not mean anything and will burn, only my relationship with Christ will endure
13 I graduated from high school not knowing how to read and write
14 I am proud to left handed, right foot and right eye dominate
15 I want to look good in hat, but think I do not look good in any kind of hat
16 I will not wear shirts unless they have collars
17 I do not have a favorite movie and I do not collect them, but want to.
18 I love Christmas music until the day after Christmas, than I want it silenced
19 I do not make Christmas/birthday lists, because no one ever gets me thing from my lists
20 I like to cycle, wish I had a cooler looking bike
21 I want to be good at photography
22 I love my family
23 I think I look like a turtle, but with the shell in front
24 I like change when I understand it, but I shut down when I don’t
25 I am a system admin on a few networks, and get frustrated with error message, that state, see your system admin
26 I am a geek, I love technology
27 I like food and food likes me.
28 I love working with young people
29 I use to stutter
30 I want to be the person my dog thinks I am
31 I use to work for a meat market when I was a lad
32 I am very conservative politically
33 I like to give when it is not expected
34 I dislike greeting cards, I think they are a waste of money
35 My wife and I home school my children
36 I want to be off the power grid
37 I want to be understood
38 I have many regrets, but learning to own them and not have them owning me
39 I am dyslectic, but hide it well
40 I do not know anyone famous, but know people who do
41 I use to be a night owl, now I get up early
42 I sleep 4-5 hours a day
43 I have never left North America, visited only Mexico and Canada
44 I do not own a gun, but recently purchased a knife (for walking and cycling)
45 I prefer to laugh over crying
46 I can be hurt easily, but you will never know it.
47 I learned to read/write because of technology, it is part of my testimony
48 I stopped purchasing music, I now use Pandora
49 I am learning to face the fear and do it anyways
50 I wish I could speak another language
51 I like being hot over being cold
Ride Home, Best Time (400th Article)
0587 days
by douglaspaulwade
in Fitness
Today, I cycled to and from work. This is the first day back on the bike after riding to Reedley. The morning ride was OK. Not too slow and not too fast, but I felt tired. However, coming home the heat was up 98 degrees and the wind was out from the south west at 23 MPH. I guess, I was either stronger or rested. My home time 46:23 and average of 14.78 miles/hr. This is my best time ever coming home. This is more like the morning speeds, because the mornings have almost no wind.
Also, I have been using this blog for a couple of years now and today is the 400th article.
Two Hundred Miles in Two Days
1589 days
There was some conversation over the last year about cycling to Kickback. Kickback is our annual High School church group (Highlife) escape from Lancaster to Reedley. As a group we talked about this 200 mile ride for some time. We would do two 100 mile days. The longest I have ever rode up to this point was 108 miles in one day, so I know this would be hard. Two days of back to back riding would be much harder. As the date got closer it was down to two riders, a young man, Brendan Patz and me. He is 17 and very strong and for me, will as you know I am the middle-aged-man.
We did two training rides prior, the first being a 44 miler, and second of a 66 miler. The day arrived to leave, so on Sunday June 20th at 6:15 am we left Brendan house and started leg 1, which would end in Tehachapi. The ride started across the Antelope Valley up to Backus road was nice and cool. After a rest at Backus Road (20 miles), we headed up to Tehachapi. This started the climb segment. We were well into the slow moving part, when one of my work friends Dan Dunn and his wife drove next to us and we stopped to chat. I showed my maps and he made some changes. He drove off to go home and change to ride with us. We then did the death march over the top (elevation of 4,802 ft.). Overall the elevation gain was 3,045 feet. Dan caught up with us riding into town on Dennison Road. The three of us cycled in to beautiful downtown Tehachapi for some lunch. We eat sandwiches and many glasses of ice tea. Leg 1 was finished with a moving time of 3:50, and an average moving speed 9.8 MPH.
Leg two was from Tehachapi to Bakersfield. Leaving the lunch restaurant Brendan, broke a spoke on his bike, we rode to Dan’s house where he had a spare bike. He sized the bike to Brendan. Let me say, Bredan’s old bike was 25 years old, Dan offered him a pretty new Klein, just been tuned up (Dan’s daughter rides it, but she was out of state). I think it was valued at $3,500, my guess. The three of us rode down Woodford-Tehachapi road to Keene, where we rode Highway 58. Dan rode with us for a few miles and looped back home. We continued up on the Hwy 58 for 10 miles, and exited from the fast lane ( a little scary), on E Bear Mountain road, and started riding on Bena Road. This was the best part of this leg. It was downhill (after a moderate climb). It was winding and flowing. I would love to ride this in the spring time, when everything is blooming. We ended on the flats and rode where Bena become the Edison Highway. We rode to our hotel, showered and eat. We were a sleep by 7:00pm. Distance for this leg was 43.86 miles, with an average moving speed of 14.8 MPH.
Leg three, up at 5:00 am, prepare and eat. We were on the rode at 6:30 and road out of Bakersfield up to Earlimart. This leg as flat with lots of open areas of farmland and this leg was around 49 miles. It was getting warm and windy. No real events to report, except our butts were very sore. It is hard to sit on the saddle for two days. Moving time was 3:28 at an average moving speed of 14 MPH. We eat and got more fluids in a small restaurant in Earlimart.
Leg four the final leg, was flat and windy. I expected the roads to be bad condition and they were for the first 2/3 of the trip. We crisscrossed the back roads, paralleling the 99 freeway, until we got to Visalia. We chatted about stopping in the park. We were on a nice segment of bike path, smooth and winding through the park and golf course, when we hear a metal pop sound. Brendan, thought it was me, I him. When we stopped to rest our butts, he noticed another broken spoke on the loaner bike. He had tape to secure it, and I followed him, to evaluate whether it was going to wobble. It looked good and we continued. We made a rule, if another broke, we would call it off. We were 22 miles from Reedley and we wanted to finish. We rode up a freshly repaved part of Hwy J19 to Dinuba, turned left and rode into Kelly’s Beach in Reedley to finish. This leg was almost 60 miles with an average moving speed of 12.6. We arrived at about 5:00pm.
Sore and tired, we just rode 197 miles in two day with an average moving speed of 12.5 MPH. However, we were not really that tired, as least compared to day one. I managed to do well, I eat, I did the events and went to sleep around midnight. I got sorer after the next couple of days. I had two fingers that were numb for two days. My knees were sore. It was long ride, but I can’t wait to do it again next year.
Me, Dan Dunn, and Brendan Patz
